I managed to get my hands on a 7 year old tin of this, so this review may not apply to a younger sample. The tobacco inside was a fairly consistent mix of blacks, browns, and burnt orange colors in loose ribbons that were dry to the touch. The campfire smell of the Latakia was present as was a slight sweet undertone that I attributed to the Virginias in the blend. An unlit sip gave me a taste of that sweetness, which was very enjoyable.

This was not a heavy Latakia blend to me, with the sweetness dominating throughout the bowl. Every so often some of the smokiness of the Latakia would come through giving me a pleasant surprise. These flavors held true down to the gray ash at the bottom of the bowl. The finish was short, but sweet and the room note was really too faint for me to detect.

After a week smoking this, I still thoroughly enjoy this blend. I am definitely planning on buying more to cellar, and I want to try it while it is still freshly tinned. If you like a Virginia based blend with just a hint of smoky Latakia goodness, then I highly recommend Rose of Latakia.